NEW CINCINNATI.COM BLOGS FOCUS ON SPORTS, TECH, POP CULTURE, PHOTOGRAPHY
Dave Heller, online content manager for Cincinnati.com, the Web site affiliated with the Cincinnati Enquirer and the Cincinnati Post, has launched eight new blogs. Three are about sports; the others are on technology, pop culture, photography, the arts and an in-house look at CinWeekly.com. Check them out here: http://frontier.cincinnati.com/blogs/.

I'm sure Dave would love to get some feedback. Send him a note at: dheller@cincinna.gannett.com.

And we'd like to know about what new blogs have been launched at news sites. Tell us at: kens@spokesman.com.

CREDENTIALS FOR ONLINE SPORTS WRITERS?
Here's an emerging story: It was a big deal when bloggers were given credentials to the Democratic National Convention last summer. It seems that bloggers are being recognized in some cases as working journalists.

But that's apparently not true at some sports venues. And this ban on "Internet journalists" in some sports arenas apparently extends to employees of established, recognized news organizations. In Spokane, for example, Gonzaga University refused to give basketball game credentials to spokesmanreview.com, the Web site of the city's only daily newspaper.

The reason for denial, based on conversations between sports information directors at several universities, is that they didn't want any live game reports from the arenas to compete with live television, "major" online media such as ESPN.com and with the university's own Web site.

This has potentially far-reaching ramifications for all of us, as reporters and photographers for newspapers and other media organizations begin to publish their work on multiple platforms.

(Full disclosure: this is happening in my city, but it could be happening in yours, too. You should find out.)

Anyone else run into this? Tell us at: kens@spokesman.com

ONLINE AWARDS FINALISTS
Finalists for the 2005 Digital Edge Awards, given by the Newspaper Association of America's New Media Federation, can be seen here:

http://www.digitaledge.org/DigArtPage.cfm?aid=6681.

Among newspaper-related sites, www.Boston.com leads with five nominations. Rob Curley's experimental playground in Lawrence, Kan., www.ljworld.com, is up for three awards, as are www.washingtonpost.com and www.PalmBeachPost.com. Check out the good works online.

A SOBERING STORY ON OUR DECLINING BUSINESS MODEL
Here's a sobering Poynter story about the business model for newspapers and their online counterparts:

http://www.poynter.org/content/content_view.asp?id=77603.

"Could the continued fast growth of online, still from a small base, together with slow circulation losses and small revenue gains at the mother paper eventually generate a dual business base? Could that in turn support a decently staffed newsroom delivering in both mediums? I ran the numbers. Unfortunately, they provide little cause for cheer."

THOMAS PAINE, BLOGGER?
Here's a fun read from USA Today. I maintain that the form of writing being used by online bloggers is not a new form of writing at all — it's just a new medium. The author of this article writes: "Thomas Paine was basically a blogger — in 1776. Martin Luther's version of blogs totally ticked off the Holy Roman Emperor, who issued the Edict of Worms banning Luther's writings. George Orwell was a blogger. So was Brian Lamb, the guy who started C-Span."

Take a look:

http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/money/20050126/maney26.art.htm?POE=click-refer.

COOPERATION KUDOS: MEMBERS CITED FOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO AP REPORTS
Newspapers, broadcast stations and online news operations are AP's local eyes and ears. Their tips, quick sharing of photographs and continual updating of breaking stories help AP provide complete, accurate news and photo reports for all members. The Associated Press Managing Editors Association recognizes the best of the efforts with APME Instant Citations. These AP members will be cited for their recent assistance:

— KSLA-TV, Shreveport, La., which alerted AP when two people were shot outside a Shreveport mall and police were swarming the area. The station kept AP updated with constant phone calls.

— The Journal of New Ulm, Minn., which provided a story and photo when fire broke out at the nation's largest butter packaging plant Dec. 1.

— KYVA radio in Gallup, N.M., where news director John McBreen called AP Jan. 31 with first word on a train derailment that forced authorities to seal off five blocks around historic U.S. Route 66. McBreen kept AP informed throughout the day with more updates.

— The Silver City, N.M., Daily Press & Independent, which provided photos of a Western New Mexico University football player who was killed and a teammate who was injured in a weekend shooting in Tucson, Ariz.

— The Peoria (Ill.) Journal Star, which provided photos and stories in the arrest of a suspected serial killer Jan. 26.

— KATL-AM in Miles City, Mont., for initial details on the crash of a school bus on an icy highway Jan. 29.

— The Las Vegas (Nev.) Sun, which provided significant late-night help when AP obtained information that two Armenian teenagers from Las Vegas who were being held on immigration charges in Los Angeles were to be freed, contrary to earlier reports.

— The Tribune of Seymour, Ind., for providing an on-cycle story from a morning news conference Feb. 3 announcing the arrest of a man in a high-profile case involving the abduction and slaying of a Crothersville girl. The Tribune also offered photos of the crime scene and the accused man's arraignment.

— KMHL Radio of Marshall, Minn., for giving the AP first word Feb. 22 that three Minnesota National Guard members had been killed in one day in Iraq.

— The Bismarck (N.D.) Tribune for providing on-cycle coverage of the state wrestling tournament, with timely photos, stories and agate.

— The Forum of Fargo, N.D., where photographer Ann Arbor Miller, photo chief Mike Vosburg and others provided on-cycle photos of National Guard soldiers from Iraq throughout February. The newspaper also provided stories.

— KXPO radio in Grafton, N.D., where news director Scott Karnick provided stories on a decision to close the state's smallest K-12 school and on a decision to cut the number of dryland potato contracts in the Red River Valley.

— KFGO radio, Fargo, N.D., for assisting with coverage of President Bush to Fargo.

— The Daily Star in Hammond, La., which tipped AP and provided more information as the story unfolded when the City of New Orleans passenger train collided with a truck Feb. 17 in the second rail crossing fatality of the week.

The online portion of today's edition was written by Ken Sands, managing editor of online and new media, The Spokesman-Review, Spokane, Wash., and a member of the APME Board of Directors.